1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of dishwashers and, more particularly, to a rinse system that directs a flow of water onto a detergent dispenser during a fill routine to wash detergent into a washing chamber.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In general, dishwashers having a pull-out drawer are known in the art. In some cases, the dishwasher will include an upper, pull-out drawer is forming a washing chamber for washing smaller objects such as glassware, utensils, small plates and the like, and a lower, conventional-type dishwasher. In other cases, the dishwasher will include upper and lower pull-out washing chambers, or just simply include a single pull-out type washing chamber. In any event, the pull-out washing chamber is typically provided with a dispenser that releases detergent and/or rinse aid into the washing chamber during select portions of a washing operation.
In conventional dishwashers, dispensers for detergent and rinse aid are typically located on a door assembly. At the start of a washing operation, the door assembly is opened to a substantially horizontal position, the dispenser loaded and, after loading dishes, the door assembly is closed to a substantially vertical position. During the washing operation, a mechanism opens the dispenser, allowing detergent to fall into the dishwasher. However, unlike conventional dishwashers, drawer-type dishwashers do not include a door assembly that allows loading of detergent in a horizontal orientation and dispensing in a vertical orientation.
Detergent dispensers for a drawer-type dishwasher are typically mounted to or formed in a front wall of the drawer. One dispenser design includes a pull-out chamber that is loaded with detergent. With this design, the dispenser is loaded with detergent and thereafter pivoted or pushed back into a receptacle formed in the front wall of the drawer. At a prescribed time during the washing operation, a jet of water is directed from a nozzle formed in the receptacle into the dispenser. The detergent is washed through an opening formed in a bottom of the receptacle and into the drawer. While effective, this design requires dedicated tubing to be formed into the slidable drawer during manufacturing thereby raising an overall cost and complexity of the appliance. Other designs simply allow the detergent to fall into the washing chamber under the force of gravity. While these designs minimize construction costs, often times detergent will remain in the dispenser.
Based on the above, there exists a need for a system that ensures that detergent is properly dispensed into a washing chamber of a drawer-type dishwasher. More specifically, there exists a need for a system that washes detergent from a dispenser into a washing chamber in a cost efficient and effective manner.